Combustion of hydrocarbon-based fuel in engines produces exhaust gas that contains, in large part, relatively benign nitrogen (N2), water vapor (H2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2). But the exhaust gases also contains, in relatively small part, noxious and/or toxic substances, such as carbon monoxide (CO) from incomplete combustion, hydrocarbons (HC) from un-burnt fuel, nitrogen oxides (NOx) from excessive combustion temperatures, and particulate matter (mostly soot). To mitigate the environmental impact of flue and exhaust gas released into the atmosphere, it is desirable to eliminate or reduce the amount of the undesirable components, preferably by a process that, in turn, does not generate other noxious or toxic substances.
Typically exhaust gases from lean burn gas engines have a net oxidizing effect due to the high proportion of oxygen that is provided to ensure adequate combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel. In such gases, one of the most burdensome components to remove is NOx, which includes nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The reduction of NOx to N2 is particularly problematic because the exhaust gas contains enough oxygen to favor oxidative reactions instead of reduction. Notwithstanding, NOx can be reduced by a process commonly known as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). An SCR process involves the conversion of NOx, in the presence of a catalyst and with the aid of a nitrogenous reducing agent, such as ammonia, into elemental nitrogen (N2) and water. In an SCR process, a gaseous reductant such as ammonia is added to an exhaust gas stream prior to contacting the exhaust gas with the SCR catalyst. The reductant is adsorbed onto the catalyst and the NOx reduction reaction takes place as the gases pass through or over the catalyzed substrate. The chemical equation for stoichiometric SCR reactions using ammonia is:4NO+4NH3+O2→4N2+6H2O2NO2+4NH3+O2→3N2+6H2ONO+NO2+2NH3→2N2+3H2O
NH3 SCR Emission control systems are very efficient once they reach their operating temperature (typically, 200° C. and higher). However, these systems are relatively inefficient below their operating temperature (the “cold start” period). For instance, current urea based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) applications implemented for meeting Euro 6 emissions require that the temperature at the urea dosing position be above about 180° C. before urea can be dosed and used to convert NOx. NOx conversion below 180° C. is difficult to address using the current systems, and future European and US legislation will stress the low temperature NOx conversion. Although the SCR catalyst is promoted by the presence of NO2, there is limited NO2 present at low temperature either due to the low NO oxidation activity of the DOC or any engine-out NO2 is reduced to NO by HC or CO on the DOC, such that preSCR NOx is predominantly present as NO. The low temperature NOX emission can be controlled by heating strategies but this has a detrimental effect of CO2 emissions. As even more stringent national and regional legislation lowers the amount of pollutants that can be emitted from diesel engines, reducing emissions during the cold start period is becoming a major challenge. Thus, methods for reducing the level of NOx emitted during cold start condition continue to be explored. The present invention addresses this issue by combining a passive NOX adsorber catalyst which can trap NOX at low temperature with a NH3 SCR catalyst. The PNA can provide the additional benefit of controlling any NH3 slip as well as CO and HC emission.